As owners of their careers, the most successful insurance producers focus on bigger, better, faster, cheaper and more profitable ways to sell. They see sales strategies as the key to nonstop growth and success—the problem being, there are a limited number of hours to work.

Fortunately, technology is providing more ways to leverage producer capability and improve results. Programs, apps and other tools allow agents to build their businesses in ways previously unimaginable.

To maximize these opportunities, it's important to understand that the most valuable time in the sales process is when you're in front of a client or prospect. Time spent in administrative and operational activities is often an important part of the job, but it isn't the activity that creates your highest value.

Here are four tools to help maximize your time in front of buyers: 

1) Automating marketing. To get in front of more people, you must attract them. Tools like Rocket Referrals help agents automatically harvest referrals and automate posting reviews on social media. Others, such as HubSpot, can be used to schedule and post across all social media platforms, saving time and allowing marketing activities to take place outside of prime selling time. HubSpot, Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics and other customer relationship management (CRM) programs can also automate prospect-nurturing campaigns with set-it-and-forget-it contact campaigns.

2) Scheduling. Tools like Calendly allow prospects and customers to schedule time with you at their convenience, increasing the likelihood that a meeting and that all-important face time will take place. Scheduling tools work best when combined with effective social media marketing and CRM “conveyor belts," which should aim to drive prospects straight to your calendar.

3) Services that create marketing data. Customer and prospect interactions with your communications and platforms result in usable data. Agents can leverage these capabilities themselves by providing clients with tools and services that benefit both parties. One such tool, Glovebox, provides an easy-to-use way for clients to keep track of all their insurance policies, whether they are written by you or not. In exchange, you get the expiration dates for all the policies you don't write—yet!

4) Tools that replicate you. An easy way to sell while you're out of office—or even while you're asleep— is to embrace video sales proposals. Video saves time on travel and scheduling and allows you to record multiple personalized pitches when you're performing at your best. Additionally, it allows prospects to key in on what is most important to them.

You can do this effectively and authentically with nothing more than your cell phone or you can take the technique to the next level with video tools like Forge3. Also, creating your own YouTube channel can allow you to inform, educate and persuade 24/7 year-round and is a great addition to your automated marketing suite.

There are a multitude of tech tools that can maximize your performance and build on quality salesmanship. Some are new and specialized, and some are as ubiquitous as your agency management system. However, using the tools is the key to leveraging them, magnifying and maximizing your selling time. Start small and see how your sales results improve.

Tony Caldwell is an author, speaker and mentor who has helped independent agents create more than 250 independent insurance agencies.